Method of using a win enhancer requiring player involvement

ABSTRACT

A wagering game played on a video gaming machine includes a win enhancer for increasing the amount of winnings to entice players to play the game. A method of playing the game includes the steps of making a wager to begin play of the game which has a win status for which a win value is awarded; achieving the win status; operating a win enhancer subsequent to achieving the win status to establish a win enhancement value in a random manner; and awarding the win value and the win enhancement value.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention relates generally to video gaming machines and aparticular method of playing a game thereon wherein the winnings from agame may be enhanced. More particularly, the invention relates to a winenhancer which is available only when the player wins the standard gamebeing played on the machine.

2. Background Information

Video gaming machines utilize a variety of strategies in order toattract players to the game such as games having bonuses of one sort oranother. A few examples of such bonus games are provided herein. Forexample, a game known as “Best Guess Bonus” involves a standard gamewhich may provide the option of a bonus game. More particularly, BestGuess Bonus is a joker poker game wherein a preset combination of cardsoccurring in the player's hand allows the player to choose one ofseveral bonus games, each of which has random sets of values and each ofwhich has a different volatility from the other. If the player has thepreset combination in his or her hand, the player has the option ofchoosing the bonus game or attempting to win the standard game with adifferent hand. If a player chooses to play the standard game with adifferent hand, the game is over at the conclusion of the standard game.If the player alternately chooses the bonus game route, the game is overwhen the bonus game is completed without returning to the standard game.Because the win requirements change in the middle of the game due to theoption of the bonus game, the player strategy also changes as a result.If the bonus game is chosen, the player will win something although thisis a randomly set amount.

Another example is found in a game known as “53 Card Poker”. In thisgame, an initially dealt wild card determines the amount of the win ifthe player does indeed win the standard hand. The wildcard is replacedby a standard card for a purpose of playing the game. Thus, the amountof the win is predetermined during the initial dealing of the cards ifthe player ultimately wins the game. Thus, as the player wins the hand,there will be an additional payout. The possibility of winning such abonus only occurs when the wildcard is initially dealt and thus theincreased winnings are determined entirely by the chance of being dealtthe wildcard.

Another game known as “Mystic Wildcard” utilizes a wildcard which givethe player a chance of additional winnings through a bonus game. Moreparticularly, if the wildcard appears in the player's hand, it will spinor flip between two sides. If the card stops spinning on one side, themain game play resumes and if it stops on the other side, the main gameis interrupted to go to a bonus game which will lead to a bonus award.Once the bonus game is completed, the player returns to the main game tofinish playing the main game. Thus, the bonus payout is independent ofwinning the main game and is credited before the end of the main game.

The present game provides a new type of win enhancer which is distinctfrom those described herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method comprising the steps of making awager to begin play of a game on a video gaming machine wherein the gamehas a win status for which a win value is awarded; achieving the winstatus; operating a win enhancer subsequent to achieving the win statusto establish a win enhancement value in a random manner; and awardingthe win value and the win enhancement value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a video game machine showing the maingame play.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the gaming machine showing the winenhancer screen which is displayed if the player should win the maingame.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a video gaming machine 10 showingthe original or main game to be played. The main game here isrepresented as a standard poker game although various other types ofvideo games may be played in accordance with the invention. Gamingmachine 10 includes a typical display screen 12, a coin receiving slot14 and a play button 16. The play of the game typically begins when theplayer inserts a coin or coins into coin slot 14 and presses play button16 although any variety of initiating sequences may be utilized andbetting or wagering may be accomplished by means of electronic creditsand the like.

In the exemplary embodiment, the start button 16 doubles as a dealbutton for dealing five cards 18A-18E. Cards 18 may appear face down andflip over or simply appear face up as shown in FIG. 1. Display screen 12will also show such things as the game title 20, payout table 22, anaccounting area 24 which typically shows the bet amount and win amountand a control panel 26 typically having various buttons for controllingvarious aspects of the game, such as the bet amount or a help button andthe like. When the game is a poker game or the like, screen 12 willdisplay hold/discard buttons 28A-E corresponding respectively to cards18A-E for either holding or discarding the cards as desired. Screen 12will also display a hold/discard message area 30 instructing the playerto touch the appropriate hold/discard button 28 for holding ordiscarding the associated card as desired. Area 30 may also displayvarious messages such as instructing the player to adjust the bet ifdesired or indicating that the player is a winner and so forth. If theplayer decides to keep the hand shown on screen 12, the player may touchthe take score button 32 in order to terminate additional drawing ofcards 18. Alternately, the player may touch deal button 16 in order todiscard those cards 18 so selected by buttons 28 and deal the cards intheir place. The description of the main or primary game thus far is astandard five card poker game.

If the player wins the standard game, then screen 12 will have displayedthereon an altered view as shown in FIG. 2. In accordance with theinvention, a win enhancer icon 34 will appear on the screen along with agame instruction button or area 36 indicating that the player may touchicon 34 to enhance the amount of player's win from the main game shownin FIG. 1. The player then touches icon 34, causing the game to randomlyarrive at a value for increasing the amount of the win from the maingame. More particularly, icon 34 will typically appear to move or spinin some fashion and randomly stop on the value which is to be awardedthe player in addition to the amount won in a standard game. This winenhancing amount may simply be a dollar value or a percentage of theamount won in the standard game. In the exemplary embodiment, theamounts that may be awarded are $0.0, $0.25, $0.50, $0.75, and $1.00,although these values may vary as desired. The enhancement values thusinclude a zero value as well as positive values among the possibilities.Thus, the game is configured either to enhance the amount won in themain game or to award only the amount won in the main game, the latteroccurring when the win enhancement is a zero value.

The exemplary embodiment of the game is configured to utilize the winenhancement only when a maximum bet is made, such as a five coin maximumbet. In addition, the win enhancer is not configured to enhance ajackpot win which may be won in the standard game. The present game isnot configured for use with progressive betting games.

Thus, the present invention is configured to enhance winnings when aplayer of the game first wins a main or standard game. Like other gameswhich include bonuses and the like, the present game with the winenhancer is intended to attract players to gaming machine 10 within acasino or other locations in which the machine is located. Thispotential for enhanced winnings is the primary attention getter and istypically amplified by moving icons on the display screen and additionalsounds to include announcements of a winner or an enhanced winner inorder to attract the eyes and ears of potential players passing by thegaming machine. As previously noted, the game in the exemplaryembodiment is a standard poker game. However, any variation of pokergames or the like may be used as well as other video games which have awin status which may then be enhanced by the win enhancer of the presentinvention.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is anexample and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown ordescribed.

1. A method comprising the steps of: making a wager to begin play of agame on a video gaming machine wherein the game has a win status forwhich a win value is awarded; achieving the win status; operating a winenhancer subsequent to achieving the win status to establish a winenhancement value in a random manner; and awarding the win value and thewin enhancement value.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step ofoperating includes the step of establishing the win enhancement valuevia random selection from a plurality of predetermined win enhancementvalues.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of establishingincludes the step of establishing the win enhancement value via randomselection from a plurality of predetermined win enhancement values whichincludes a zero value.
 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step ofestablishing includes the step of establishing the win enhancement valuevia random selection from a plurality of predetermined win enhancementvalues which are respective percentages of the win value.
 5. The methodof claim 1 wherein the step of operating includes the step ofestablishing a win enhancement value which is independent of an amountof the wager.
 6. The method of claim 1 further including the step ofmaking the win enhancer available for operation only when the wagerexceeds a predetermined value.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the stepof making available includes the step of displaying the win enhancer ona screen of the gaming machine only when the wager exceeds thepredetermined value.
 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the making the winenhancer available includes the step of making the win enhanceravailable for operation only when the wager is a maximum wager.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the step of operating includes the step ofmaking the win enhancer available for operation only when the step ofachieving the win status does not include achieving a jackpot win. 10.The method of claim 1 wherein the step of operating includes touching asensor.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of touching includesthe step of touching a display screen of the gaming machine.
 12. Themethod of claim 11 wherein the step of touching includes the step oftouching an icon representing the win enhancer.
 13. The method of claim11 wherein the step of touching includes the step of touching a pressuresensitive display screen of the gaming machine.
 14. The method of claim11 wherein the step of touching includes the step of touching a heatsensitive display screen of the gaming machine.